The goal of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Short-Term Medical Student Training Program in Renal, Gl, Endocrine and Epithelial Biology, is to foster an interest in scientific investigation as a career objective for students by providing them with an opportunity to participate in biomedical research with highly qualified mentors and role models. The program will support a summer research training experience for medical students between the first and second year of medical school. This program is designed to introduce students to a rigorous approach to scientific inquiry in basic science or clinical investigation and focuses on three major areas of research: (1) renal and epithelial cell biology, (2) digestive diseases, and (3) endocrinology and diabetes. Trainees will be selected by an executive committee on the basis of student-authored project proposals developed with and endorsed by faculty members of the training program. Faculty members will serve both as research trainers and as mentors. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The future of medical progress depends on the translation of advances from the bench to the bedside, and an interdisciplinary approach to complex problems. The continuation of these meritorious goals, captured in this training proposal, therefore, is to help assure that a diverse and highly-trained workforce is available to carry out important biomedical and translational research.